Paramount Pictures has announced plans to develop two brand-new Transformers films following the success of 2018’s Bumblebee. Bumblebee took the world by storm, choosing to move the franchise in a very different direction compared to the Michael Bay films which preceded it.
As revealed by Variety, the production company already has two script-writers on board for the project – James Vanderbilt and Joby Harold.
Vanderbilt, who most recently penned and produced Murder Mystery for Netflix and Adam Sandler last year, is alleged to be working on a Beast Wars adaptation.
Beast Wars is a Transformers spin off where the transforming robots turn into robotic animals including Cheetor (Cheetah), Optimus Primal (Gorilla), Rhinox (Rhinoceros).
Less is known about the Harold script, but allegedly one of the projects will be based in the universe semi-rebooted by Bumblebee – and could potentially lead to an Avengers-style crossover event where the Beast Transformers meet the regular Car Transformers for a showdown.
Bumblebee made over 400 million dollars from a 135 million budget, making it an outstanding success for Paramount – and it was a critical success to boot, earning some of the best reviews of the franchise.
The movie’s description reads as follows: “On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.”
Neither project has currently got a director attached, though the studio are apparently keen to press on with the films, so we expect more information to come out soon.
Variety also expects new cast to join both films with no returning characters.
Will you be watching?
Featured image credit: Paramount Pictures